The present application relates to navigation systems and in particular, the present application relates to a navigation system interface layer that facilitates use and access of a geographic database stored on a physical storage medium.
Computer-based navigation systems for use on land have become available in a variety of forms and provide for a variety of useful features. One exemplary type of navigation system uses (1) a detailed data set of one or more geographic areas or regions, (2) a navigation application program, (3) appropriate computer hardware, such as a microprocessor, memory, and storage, and, optionally, (4) a positioning system. The detailed geographic data set portion of the navigation system is in the form of one or more detailed, organized data files or databases. The detailed geographic data set may include information about the positions of roads and intersections in or related to one or more specific geographic regional areas, and may also include information about one-way streets, turn restrictions, street addresses, alternative routes, hotels, restaurants, museums, stadiums, offices, automobile dealerships, auto repair shops, etc.
The positioning system may employ any of several well-known technologies to determine or approximate one's physical location in a geographic regional area. For example, the positioning system may employ a GPS-type system (global positioning system), a "dead reckoning"-type system, or combinations of these, or other systems, all of which are well-known in the art.
The navigation application program portion of the navigation system is a software program that uses the detailed geographic data set and the positioning system (when employed). The navigation application program may provide the user with a graphical display (e.g. a "map") of the user's specific location in the geographic area. In addition, the navigation application program may also provide the user with specific directions to locations in the geographic area from wherever the user is located.
Some navigation systems combine the navigation application program, geographic data set, and optionally, the positioning system into a single unit. Such single unit systems can be installed in vehicles or carried by persons. Alternatively, navigation application programs and geographic datasets may be provided as software products that are sold or licensed to users to load in their own personal computers. In further alternatives, the navigation system may be centrally or regionally located and accessible to multiple users on an "as needed" basis, or alternatively, on-line via a network or communications link. Personal computer-based systems may be stand-alone systems or may utilize a communication link to a central or regional or distributed system. Also, users may access a navigation system over an on-line service such as the Internet, or over private dial-up services, such as CompuServe, Prodigy, and America Online. In-vehicle navigation systems may use wireless communication connections. Navigation systems may also be used by operators of vehicle fleets such as trucking companies, package delivery services, and so on. Navigation systems may also be used by entities concerned with traffic control or traffic monitoring.
Computer-based navigation systems hold the promise of providing high levels of navigation assistance to users. Navigation systems can provide detailed instructions for travelling to desired destinations, thereby reducing travel times and expenses. Navigation systems also can provide enhanced navigation features such as helping commuters and travellers avoid construction delays and finding the quickest routes to desired destinations. Navigation systems can also be used to incorporate real-time traffic information.
In order to provide these useful and enhanced features in a navigation system, there is a need to gather and organize comprehensive, detailed, reliable, and up-to-date data about geographical regions and areas. There is also a need to continuously update the geographic data since many data can rapidly become out-of-date. Presently, the collection of such geographic data and the provision of such data in a computer-usable format are provided by Navigation Technologies of Sunnyvale, Calif.
One potential problem associated with providing enhanced features and updated geographic databases for navigation systems is that there are numerous different navigation system platforms. These platforms may have different hardware, navigation software, operating systems, and so on. Many of these different platforms have developed independently and are incompatible with each other. Thus, even if it were possible to gather updated geographic data and produce an updated computer-readable geographic database, it becomes difficult to provide and distribute geographic databases that can be used with the various different types of navigation system platforms due to the numerous different platforms that exist. This problem may be exacerbated in the future as navigation system manufacturers develop new generations of navigation systems with more and enhanced features.
Another problem exists with regard to providing updated geographic data for existing navigation systems. Just like conventional printed maps, geographic information used in computer-based navigation systems can become out-of-date. For example, new roads are built, businesses change locations, road construction closes roads, detours are established, museum and restaurant hours change, etc. It is expected that end-users, such as vehicle owners who have navigation systems in their vehicles, will want to have the geographic data in their navigation systems updated from time to time.
The proliferation of multiple, different, incompatible navigation system platforms, mentioned above, also presents an obstacle to providing updated geographic data for end-users, i.e. the persons and businesses who own and use navigation systems. In order to provide updated geographic data for an end-user's navigation system over the lifetime of the navigation system, the provider of geographic data needs to provide a product that not only has updated geographic data, but also that is compatible with the user's particular navigation system. Over the expected lifetime of navigation systems, which may be ten years or more, this would require supporting a growing number of old, incompatible navigation systems and platforms. If specialized versions of updated geographic data products had to be produced for each separate, different type or version of navigation platform, the number of different products would continue to increase over time thereby making the provision of updated geographic data products to end-users difficult and expensive.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the problem of providing geographic data for a variety of hardware platforms.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved navigation system and geographic navigation database(s) for use therein, that can be efficiently developed, manufactured, customized, distributed, and/or updated across a variety of navigation system platforms, operating systems, and releases.